The Indian Army has deployed infantry combat vehicles in the Galvan Valley as Chinese troops had deployed their armoured vehicles to strengthen their position amid border dispute with India along the Line Of Actual Control (LAC). The deployment of armoured vehicles or BMP-2 is to counter threat to the Darbuk–Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DSDBO) road, which is very important for the Indian Army

New Delhi: The Indian Army has deployed infantry combat vehicles in the Galvan Valley as Chinese troops had deployed their armoured vehicles to strengthen their position amid border dispute with India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The deployment of armoured vehicles or BMP-2 is to counter threat to the Darbuk–Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DSDBO) road, which is very important for the Indian Army. 

The BMP-2 vehicles are not only capable of launching attacks on the enemy with missiles, mortars, rockets, and machine guns, but soldiers sitting inside can also move forward safely amid fire in the field.

The deployment of BMP-2 on the confluence of the Galvan Valley and the Shyok river has created an impregnable wall of defence to deter any possible misadventure of the Chinese Army. The BMP-2 armoured vehicles are also stationed along the DSDBO road and on the mouth of the Galvan Valley, besides on the road going towards the DBO.

The Chinese Army has increased the number of armoured vehicles because of the plain area on the other side of the LAC. It is easy for the Chinese army to bring tanks and other vehicles at a high speed.

A few years ago, the Indian Army started deploying tanks and armoured vehicles in Ladakh. China had already made a network of roads and railways in its occupied Tibet area, but the infrastructure development on the Indian side continued at a slow pace. 

Assessing the situation of a possible attack from China, the Indian Army started bringing tanks and armoured vehicles to the Ladakh plains. Currently, a large number of tanks and armoured vehicles in the Ladakh region have been deployed by the Indian Army to give a befitting reply to the Chinese troops. 

Mechanised Infantry Sarath BMP-2 

The BMP-2 vehicles have been renamed as ‘Sarath’ and are the mainstay of the mechanised infantry. The key features of these armoured vehicles are: 

1. It is the best infantry combat vehicles in the world with modern weapon systems
2. It is ideal for fighting battles with speed, surprise, and deadly precision
3. Powered by 300 HP engine, the vehicle is highly mobile to meet all tactical requirements of mobility in a battlefield, travelling at an incredible 65 KMPH with easy steering ability in cross country terrain
4. Sarath BMP-2 is a truly amphibian vehicle which can travel at 7 KMPH on water and can overcome slopes up to 35 degrees and can cross obstacles of 0.7 M
5. It can be easily be transported by air due to its low weight
6. It is protected with armoured plates all around ensuring a high degree of protection to the combatants, besides offering a chameleon-like camouflage with the help of smoke grenades creating a smokescreen
7. Equipped with a rapid-fire 7.62 MM medium coaxial machine gun, a 30 MM cannon, and a second-generation homing type anti-tank guided missile, the Sarath BMP-2 can neutralise all kinds of land-based and low flying military objects.
8. The Sarath BMP-2 is also provided with sharp night vision devices and a low silhouette

Notably, the details on the Sarath BMP-2 is based on the information provided through Ordnance Factory Medak.